The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

The May-for-leader campaign shows the paucity of Tory talent

For "a safe pair of hands", Theresa May has dropped an awful lot of balls.

By Richard Morris Published 23 October 2012 14:26

Home Secretary Theresa May. Photograph: Getty Images.

Home Secretary Theresa May speaks at the Conservative conference in Birmingham earlier this month. Photograph: Getty Images.

Last week, Theresa May did a very good thing when she blocked the extradition of Gary McKinnon to the US, and it’s been applauded pretty much universally across the British political spectrum. It was also quite a brave thing, as she has now seemingly been sent to Coventry by the US Attorney General.

But really – does that actually qualify her to be the next leader of the Conservative Party? Some Tory backbenchers and media types seem to think so, going so far as to say she has "more than a touch of Margaret Thatcher about her’". Most Staggers readers would think that’s an excellent reason, in itself, to rule her out, but that’s not a sentiment shared by the Tory grassroots. And in the current omnishambles of Tory mismanagement where U-turns and monumental cock-ups habe been the normal daily fare, they are casting around for "a safe pair of hands".

But for a supposedly safe pair of hands, May drops an awful lot of balls. Last time I wrote about this, I questioned just how appropriate it was to call the cack-handed May "faultless" when she

mistakenly cites owning a cat as a reason for avoiding deportation. Or ends up with her diary engagements being left in a Glaswegian Concert Hall. Not someone who unilaterally calls for the Human Rights Act to be scrapped and ends up being publicly contradicted by the Attorney General.

(She) certainly shouldn't end up having to admit to the House of Commons that "we will never know how many people entered the UK who should have been prevented from doing so" -- not when you're meant to be in charge of that very thing.

Since then, it’s not been plain sailing either. There was the Abu Qatada incident when it appeared the Home Secretary wasn’t exactly sure which day of the week it was. The Home Office has ended up paying a reported £100,000 to the former Head of the UK Border Force. There was the border queues fiasco over the summer ....

Yet such is the paucity of talent in the Tories (Gove – doesn’t want it; Boris – not an MP; Osborne - #pastytax) that May is apparently being seriously considered by many in the party as someone who can sort things out and stop them lurching from one disaster to another.

Someone needs to tell them. She’s not Mrs Thatcher. She’s Nicola Murray.

Richard Morris blogs at A View From Ham Common, which was named Best New Blog at the 2011 Liberal Democrat Conference.

Special Offer: Get 12 issues of New Statesman magazine for just £12

Tags: Conservatives Theresa May

More from Richard Morris

View the discussion thread.

20 comments

Wed, 2012-10-24 12:54 — Michael Dixon (not verified)

Paucity of talent in the Tories? ( as leadership material)

Only there? Did not stop Foot, Kinnock, Brown and Miliband E from getting the top Labour job.

After that list there is hope for anybody whatever the Party

Wed, 2012-10-24 13:23 — Robbie's Pies (not verified)

You may want to argue for paucity of talent for those gentleman but you would be hard to pushed to describe any of them as undereducated or an idiot. Unfortuantely, for the UK populace that isn't the case for the top brass in the Tory party.

Wed, 2012-10-24 11:42 — Robbie's Pies (not verified)

Someone somewhere described her a swivel- eyed loon. They may not have been far off the mark. Certainly things like being someoene who "mistakenly cites owning a cat as a reason for avoiding deportation " as well as someone who states
"we will never know how many people entered the UK who should have been prevented from doing so" when she is meant to be in charge of exactly that suggests that she is a bungling incompetent at best. Ask yourself, in general, in life, if she was someone you worked with, would you think her rational and capable? I know I would have down as incompetent moron who like David Brent defies logic and appears in a position of authority without the merit to legitimise it.

Tue, 2012-10-23 21:52 — Natacha (not verified)

The only reason she's in the running for next leader of the opposition is that she is slightly less unelectable than Gove or Osborne.

Tue, 2012-10-23 19:20 — Arturo Bandini (not verified)

She's a Tory and has a vagina? She's like Thatcher!

Cheik Tiote plays in midfield and is black? He's like Patrick Viera!

Michael Fassbender speaks German but isn't from Germany? He's like Hitler!

Sat, 2012-11-03 12:45 — oatc (not verified)

"She's a Tory and has a vagina? She's like Thatcher!"

And if she's not like Thatcher and she's in politics she must be Nicola Murray. Jeez, she's Home Secretary; doesn't even a woman in that office have the right to be herself?

Tue, 2012-10-23 19:05 — Lucidus (not verified)

They need a leader who can connect with the working class Tories.

Step forward Eric Pickles.

Tue, 2012-10-23 19:13 — Indu Pendent

Ludicrus, dont you you think we should be trying to to eliminate class not promote the working class?

Wed, 2012-10-24 11:51 — Robbie's Pies (not verified)

How do you propose to eliminate class?

Fri, 2012-10-26 10:07 — Indu Pendent

Class only exists to the extent people wish it.

We can start by changing the law and allowing state schools to teach kids. At the moment the 13 year old year is a holding year in the process to keep down the above average kids.

Old grammar schools use to give unrivalled opportunities for poor families to bypass the crap. We need to build this kind of opportinuty by into the system instead of forcing people to pay for it which excludes poor families.

Tue, 2012-10-23 18:46 — Indu Pendent

She has had a lot shitty difficult issues to deal with and has done a good job. Not many Labour or Tory ministers can say the same.

If shes upset the US Attorney General then good for her. Consession politics gets you a nice meal, 1st class flight, some important meetings and a photo-opportunity to help your personal career. But doing the right thing and dealing with the issues will make you unpopular with some people.

Which approach does Miliband take? e.g. with the French?

Wed, 2012-10-24 11:45 — Robbie's Pies (not verified)

Elaborate on what you mean by 'the French' please.

Fri, 2012-10-26 10:08 — Indu Pendent

if it talks like one and smells like one then it is one.

Tue, 2012-10-23 18:41 — matthew fox (not verified)

May has dropped so many balls, she even advised Mitt Romney that Iran was landlocked.

Tue, 2012-10-23 19:00 — Indu Pendent

Oh look its Matt the masogynist ...

Fox, could you expand on your view on women. You know, the one you went on about that women are born meek to support their hubby to pay the bills.

Wed, 2012-10-24 10:59 — Matthew Fox (not verified)

Do you mean misogynist? As I keep telling you Inastew, the first rule of name calling is that you get the spelling correct, wouldn't that help?

Unfortunately, your biography is riddled with holes, husband, children with a private school education, business owner who writes cheques to HMRC, all that fails to make sense.

Don't forget, your able to pick out spelling errors in all the CV's your husband receives, remember that gag.

Come on Inastew, prepare to fix bayonets.

Thu, 2012-10-25 09:37 — Indu Pendent

Fox
Have you been boozing again? I 've kids in private school I pay for, have several businesses and have paid cheques to HMRC -- your point is?? I dont get the CV gobblydi gook - is it another cunning Foxy insight like North Sea oil?

I have a golden rule that I dont fight sexist misogynists, I fire them.

Tue, 2012-10-23 17:36 — M. Wenzl (not verified)

Although it's tempting to scream, I've decided to take heart when I hear these sorts of stories. They reveal just how ridiculous the Tory Party has become.

Tue, 2012-10-23 15:53 — Barrie J (not verified)

Theresa May, Jacquie Smith, David Blunkett, John Reid etc., etc.
It's not only the Tories that have a paucity of talent.
Westminster attracts and breeds mediocrity like swamps in Africa breed mosquitoes.
Truly, we are without any hope.